Smile
by ANBUFury
Summary: It was something so simple, just a twitch of muscles. An expression on his stoic face that meant so much to her. All he had to do was smile.


They were children.

Haruno Sakura was rubbing her large green eyes, trying to dry them as fast as she possibly could. _"What's wrong with me!" _ She sniffled, the cold air aiding the monstrous head ache she felt forming in her brow. _"Why do they always laugh at me?" _

A shadow covered the light around her and Sakura paused looking up to see Uchiha Sasuke looking down at her, his head titled to the side out of concern. "Are you okay?"

Sakura looked away, feeling her face become even warmer. "I-I uh...A-are you going to l-laugh at me to?" She asked him. It was the first day that she wore that blasted ribbon Ino insisted on her wearing. To show her forehead that she'd tried so hard to hide.

_"Don't let them know that it bothers you." _ The blonde repeated.

School had let out nearly an hour ago and Sakura found a place in the wooded area behind the Konoha Ninja academy thinking she'd be able to cry out her frustration at her so called friend and the kids at school.

"Your Sakura right?"

Her eyes snapped back up to Sasuke. "Y-yeah...You come to make fun of me too?" She asked, bracing her self.

"No...My brother and I were just walking home and we saw you crying."

"Oh."

"S-So are you okay?" He asked again.

"I'll be fine. I should be used to getting picked on by now."

"Okay, well I need to go." He turned and started to run away, back to his elder brother. "By the way, I like your new ribbon."

That was the first time that she saw it, his smile. A warmth encircled her small body and she felt her own face light up, all the worries she had about the other children had melted away and she felt her self give an actual genuine smile for the first time in a long while. "Thank you Sasuke-kun."

_**I think that was when I fell for you...**_

"Teme!"

"Dobe."

_"For goodness sakes the day hasn't even begun and already they're fighting?" _

"Okay you two that's enough." Came Kakashi's lazy voice, addressing the trio's attention. "Today's training is going to be mostly focused on hand to hand combat. Seeing as Naruto could barely fend off a cat, I don't want to know what would happen to him should he face a higher level ninja.

_"Ouch..."_ Sakura flinched for her fellow teammate. Who was currently flicking their lazy grey haired sensei the bird. Sakura gave a soft chuckle that only showed through her body, not a single sound coming from her lips.

Looking over she saw the seriousness in Sasuke's face and turned her self to stone, trying to come off as professional as possible. The small show between Kakashi and Naruto stopped. "Now as I was saying..." He went on to explain the drills they were to go through. It was simple enough, stand in front of one of the padded posts and wait for sensei to say where the ninja was going to strike. Then block and counter.

Ten minutes went by and Sakura felt her self tiring. Kakashi had forgotten to mention that he was going to go at actual battle level timing. Meaning his commands were come out one right after the other. Fogging Sakura's ability to think on her feet.

"Sakura your falling behind and getting beaten, step it up." Kakashi drilled.

Five more minutes, Sakura went knee the log as her counter attack, but slipped and fell. The boys both stopped and looked down at her. "I'm fine." She hissed standing. Her face reddening out of embarrassment. "Start!"

They'd past the twenty five minute mark and Sakura felt her limbs turning into lead. She was strong, yes. However she was only as strong as every other kunoichi in her class and seeing as the majority of them were love struck with Sasuke, she was on a lower level then Naruto.

She felt a pang of envy and guilt hit her and she punched at the padding with a bit more force then she meant to. The next blow was just as fierce. _"I want to prove my self." _ Sakura growled letting lose a few more punches and kicks before feeling the stabbing pain of exhaustion in her ribs.

"Don't stop Sakura." Kakashi growled.

The girl bit her lip and tried her hardest to press through the pain. A few more minutes and that was all she could take. Sakura fell to her knees, sweat glistened on her skin in the afternoon sun, and her whole body was shaking as she tried drawing in the large heavy breaths. "Sakura-chan?" Naruto stopped. As did Sasuke.

"You two don't stop! If a this were a real fight she would be dead and you two would have just let your selves get killed. Now Sakura stand up."

"I can't."

"Stand up."

A hand appeared on the left side of Sakura's vision, she fallowed the pail hand up to Sasuke. "Here." He moved his hand slightly telling her with the simple gesture that he'd help her up.

Sakura's green eyes watched his face, then fell back down to his hand as she softly smiled taking his rough calloused hand. Sasuke soon found him self stepping closer to help her up, she was shaking violently. Her eyes met his and she nodded to Sasuke, she smiled feeling a bit of pride rise up in her that she was actually standing again.

Then Sasuke smiled back, it was a small side ways smirk, but she felt it to. Least she hoped it was the same thing she was feeling. Was he really proud of her to? Sakura gave a firm nod and faced off against her opponent yet again.

_**That's when I knew, so long as I had you I could do any thing...**_

It was a cold and chilly night. Team Seven had been together for a while, the Chunin exams came and went. However things were so different now. The Third Hokage was gone and now Lady Tsunade ruled.

Sasuke was colder, so much colder. Sakura blamed her self for his curse mark. _"If only I was stronger." _ She thought, while walking alone in the night she looked up realizing that she'd gone the wrong way and quickly turned back running slightly. Then something caught her attention. It was Sasuke. A large pack settled on his back. Her worst fear being realized at this very moment. Sakura felt the need to do something.

_"I failed you once, I won't let you get hurt again Sasuke-kun." _

Sakure stepped out from behind the cluster of trees, "What are you doing wandering around here at this time of night?"

"In order to get out of the village, you have to take this road." She stood tall and looked at Sasuke's stoic face, had his eyes been open, she would be looking into them.

"Go home and sleep." Was all he said as he began to simple walk around her. She looked forward, but could see him turn his head away from her. Trying not to look her in the eye.

A tear fell from Sakura's eye, "Why? Why won't you ever tell me any thing? Why do you always stay silent?" Sakura raised her voice. "Why won't you ever say any thing to me?"

"Why should I say any thing to you? Its none of your business." Her heart began to crack within her chest hearing the cold words that escaped his mouth. "Stop concerning your self about what I do."

_"As if I could keep my self from caring for you."_ She nearly wanted to say, however instead she asked him this, "You've always hated me, huh?" It pained her the thought of him saying yes, but maybe him hating her would be enough for her to abandon her hopes for the two of them. "Do you remember when we'd just became Genin and our three man team was first put together?" Her head turned over to the bench, where she'd nearly kissed Naruto -while he was running around as Sasuke-. "You got mad at me..."

Sakura remembered the pain she'd felt for saying such foolish things a loud to Sasuke of all people about Naruto not having parents, she wished that she'd had a chance to say sorry to Sasuke, but he'd already been walking away before the words could form. The memory came to a crashing halt though when Sasuke spoke.

"I don't remember."

"I guess that makes sense, it happened a while back any ways." She could feel a happiness rise in her voice. _"Could this mean he doesn't hate me?" _ Sakura explained to him that that was the day that everything started for Squad Seven, granted she was sure he already knew this. She reminisced about how hard the work was, the missions, and that above all she never regretted a minute of it. "I know about your clan, Sasuke-kun...Revenge it won't make any one happy...No one. Not you...Not me." She pleaded with him.

"Just as I thought." Sakura's gaze -which found its way to the cobble stone road- quickly fell back on Sasuke. "I'm different from you guys, I walk a different path, I tried forcing my self to think that they way things were going were the right way, the right path, however my heart has settled on revenge in the end." The pink haired kunoichi wanted to speak, but his voice started once more, "Its my purpose in life. I can't live like Naruto or you..."

"So your going to chose to be alone?" Sakura stepped closer, "Sasuke you taught me that solitude was painful! I understand that now, even if I have a family or friends, Sasuke I would still feel utterly alone with out _you._"

There was a moment that he thought about the picture of Team Seven and the smiling face he remember Sakura wearing in that picture. Now she was reduced to nothing more then a broken heart-ed Juliet crying to her distant Romeo, _"Can she really feel that way?" _No, Sasuke was not about to think like that. "From here on new paths will form for us."

"I love you," Sakura cried, "So much it hurts Sasuke-kun." She stepped closer, "Please, I'll do any thing for you! Please just let me try to make you happy again." Her voice trembled with tears. _"Please just let me see you smile one more time." _ She mentally begged. "I promise, anything! Even if it means helping you with your revenge."

"Sakura..." Her eyes widened out of hope as she looked up to Sasuke's onxy eyes, "Your annoying. "

She could feel her heart stop. He wore a smile, just for her to see. Alone on this wind chilled moon lit night. Then, there was nothing but darkness and him thanking her.

_**When you smiled like that I knew you were promising to return to me...**_

Six years passed aging the two of them in not only emotions, physical appearance, but skill as well. War had broken out and war had ended. Konoha had been demolished, but it was beginning to stand tall once more.

Just like her own village, Sakura was standing proudly again. _"Today, its today!" _ Her heart fluttered at the though, Sasuke was being brought back to the village. The war ended a year ago, Sasuke was imprisoned for the previous year with his release promised so long as he was cooperative. Sakura healed him when he was first brought to the jail.

Then she began visiting him when ever time allowed. At first he wasn't willing to see her at all and he was as responsive to her questions as a corpse, but she was strong willed.

After nearly three months he cracked and asked how she'd been doing. From there slowly, but surely the two of them began to talk more and more. Finding comfort in the silence they would sometime share, or find themselves deep in conversation.

Sasuke was so much warmer after his curse mark was permanently sealed off, the voice that he claimed to hear -it was Orochimaru's own- finally fell silent for the first time in ages and he could feel him self allowing his body to soften, the muscles that were always tense and ready for a battle had slackened and he was able to sleep. Able to breath, talk, and think with out the thought of the man.

Sakura had changed so much to him. Now she stood just under his chin, her body well built with gracefully defined muscles and a few light scars visible. He was shocked to see her hair stay short, he'd figure she would have let it grown out, but still preferred it short. Her eyes hardened a bit, making her stern glares all the more intimidating.

The two of them had really gotten quite comfortable around one another.

"Sakura-chan!" Green eyes flicked up to see Naruto running up, behind him came Kakashi, and lastly Sasuke.

When the small group finally stopped Sakura and Sasuke's eyes met, the rest of the world fell away, only the two of them existed. "Welcome home. Sasuke-kun."

"Thank you." He said again, smiling back to the only person he could ever feel him self grow close to.

_**Forever, that was all I could think about, spending the rest of my days at your side...**_

"How is she?" Her voice was strained and weakened.

"Sakura, she's beautiful, healthy, and the spitting image of you." Sasuke whispered to the panting bed ridden Sakura. He wiped away the stray hairs from her forehead and leaned down to kiss her lightly.

"Your lucky I am so tired or I would smack you for that." She teased. Sasuke knew fully well that her pecked peeve was her forehead, and every chance he got he would plant a light soft kiss on it.

"So, mother. Father. Ready to see your new baby girl?" Sasuke helped Sakura up to a seated position as Tsunade walked in with a small bundle of blankets in her arms.

Sakura shifted slightly allowing room for Sasuke to sit down next to her, while Tsunade handed of their first born to them. Both parents smiled down lovingly to their child. Sakura said hello to her daughter, as did Sasuke. The small baby cooed and its tiny lips pulled into a grin.

"She has your smile..." Sakura whispered to Sasuke, she turned to him as he turned to her and captured her lips with his own in a sweet delicate kiss. When he pulled away he rested his forehead against her own and smiled, their eyes still connected.

_**Please Sasuke-kun...Never stop smiling...**_

* * *

><p><em><em>**Okay so this was a random unexpected one shot that took three hours to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know Sasuke is out of character at the end, but I wanted to make things sweeter and that kind of required taking him out of character a bit. Sorry. xD **

**Also the hardest part to write was the middle, more then likely because it was the only part that I fallowed directly from the anime. **

**Any ways I hope you enjoyed thank you for reading. Constructive criticisms welcomed, flames are not. Also I don't own Naruto.  
><strong>


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